Thursday, 10 June 2010

Landscapes Everywhere!

Ysgol Penyrheol

To the sea at the Discovery Centre

It was just the weather for a jaunt to the seaside with our cameras. The sun was out, it was warm, the skylarks were up and singing and the sea was there in front of us with Gower not far away across the estuary. It was a photographer's paradise. There were landscapes everywhere! Not only were there seascapes, with sand, waves and distant views, but there also were masses of possibilities in the foreshore, the buildings and the other architectural patterns and textures. The Millennium Coast Park is somewhere we came with another school in the depth of that long cold lonely winter.

Above: Ysgol Penyrheol - Gower's thataway!

That time, we had very little time to take our pictures because of the deep freeze; this time, though, it was balmy weather all the way. It didn't take long for the class to realise that the creative possibilities were virtually endless, and they went off to exercise their shutter fingers in every direction. It is fair to say that everybody took some excellent shots here and that the exhibition will be all the better for them.

Ysgol Pen y Bryn

The lake and crowds of wild geese

For those people, like me, who go to Llansamlet just for the shopping and the industrial units, the lake there is unknown; but just off the main road opposite the car main dealers and the repair shops is this haven for wild birds, fish and humans. It's also a place that's ideal for taking photos. What with the views across the water, with its reflections from the sun, its crowds of wild geese, ducks and swans, and trees, bees and wild flowers, it was just right for budding photographers to take loads of pictures. Take pictures they did, enjoying their time immensely. Back in class and looking at everyone's best three shots, it was evident from the quality of the work that the project is succeeding in providing a unique opportunity for these young people's creativity to blossom.

Above: The Ysgol Penybryn class enjoying the lake at Llansamlet

Next session will be our last before the summer holiday and also the last of the field trips. When we get back together in September, we will have three sessions at the computer face learning about the other part of digital photography and getting down to sorting the pictures for the exhibition.